Improvement in shoes and shoe-fasteners



UNITED S'rn'rns ra rnlv'r QFFIOE.

GARNETT It. BIGKERS, OF FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA.

lM PROVEM-ENT IN SHOES AND SHOE-FASTENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,182, dated October 16, 1877; application filed September 4, 1877. v

.- and exactly described as follows:

This invention relates to that class of devices used as a substitute for lacing in shoes; and it consists in a shoe and fastener constructed as hereinafter described, and possessing points of novelty indicated in the claims.

Various forms of buckles have been devised for fastening the quarters of shoes over the instep or at the heel, consisting, inthe main, of metallic plates firmly secured to one of the quarters, and provided with suitable means for holding the other. As a natural result, the buckle seldom occupies a central position upon the foot, and being generally curved to conform to the shape of the foot at the place which it should occupy, when displaced, is liable to cause discomfort to the wearer-,besides presenting an unsightly appearance. The buckles referred to, as a rule, are anything but ornamental, be ing evidently designed more with a view to saving time and labor in fastening the shoe than to presenting a tasteful appearance, and, being, in a word, strongly suggestive of harness, have never come into general use.

In my invention these defects are obviated and other advantages secured. My fastener, being securely attached centrally upon the instep, cannot .become displaced; it is tasteful in appearance, and securely retains the quarters of the shoe.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 rep resents a perspective view of my shoe and fastener; Fig. 2, a plan view of the fastener closed; Fig. 3, a similar view of the same opened 5 and 4, a vertical sectional view of the fastener, illustrating the construction of the catch and pin.

A represents a shoe having the quarters to a extended to form straps a a, but otherwise of the ordinary construction. The fastener B consists of a piece of suitable sheet metal,

struck up into the form shown in the drawing, and provided with a catch, 1), vertical centerpin 1), and hinge c. To the latter is secured the covering-plate O, constructed also of sheet metal. This plate may be tastefully ornamented in any desired manner, or may be slotted for the insertion of a bow.

The plate B is attached to the instep of the shoe in any convenient manner, such as by means of ordinary clinched eyelets, by stitchin g, or by having tangs struck from the body of the plate, and subsequently inserted through the vamp, but not through the lining of the shoe, being bent between them in order to retain the plate. The fastener may also be secured by means of the device illustrated in dot-ted lines in Fig. 3. A strap is stitched to the vamp of the shoe at the edges, as shown, the strap having a hole in the center for the insertion. of the center-pin. The fastener is simply slid under the strap, its pin passing through the hole, whereby the fastener is retained in place, but is made readily removable when desired.

The pin 0 is either riveted or soldered to the plate B, and is preferably provided with a' head, as shown, in order more securely to re tain the quarters or strap. The catch 11 is formed simply by bending up the end of theplate, as shown in Fig. 4, the hinge 0 being formed by bending up the sides of the oppo site end of the fastener in the same manner. A rivet passing through the hinge retains the covering-plate O, which should press upon the head of the center-pin when closed.

In attaching the quarters I make use of one of the following means: A suitable slotted piece of metal, (I, being secured to one of the quarters, the end a of the other is led across the fastener, the center pin 1) passing through the slot 0. The end of the strap is then passed through the slot f, pulled taut, and secured to the pin 1) by means of the appropriate hole g. The end of the strap is then folded back and again attached to the pin, the plate 0 being finally pressed down mitil the catch I) secures it. v A loop of the strap may be allowed to protrude at one or both sides of the plate 0, giving the appearance of a bow; or a veritable bow or ornamental piece of leather or other material may be attached, as described.

Instead of the described construction and means of attachment, both quarters may be furnished with a line of holes, eyeleted or not,

the 'pin 1) passing through i the appropriate holes and retaining the quarters. V V Having thus described my invention, what I clahn'as new, and desire to :secureby Letters Patent, is-

1, A shoe having a fastener'attaehedto its V 'Vamp or tongue, thesaid fastener: being adapted to directly secure the quarters of the shoe;

whereby the lateral displacement of the fast ener'or quarters is prevented, substantiallyas described r 2; A shoe having its quarters elongated to form hastening-straps, 'in' combination mm a fastener secured to the vamp, tongue, or

' front of theshoe, substantially as described. V V

S; In combination with the shoe A, the fast- 'ener B, secured to the vamp or tongue thereof andhaving the vertical'center-pm b and covering-plate C, substantially as described. 7 r

I V 4. Inicombination with the fastener B, ham 7 7 ing pin 1) and plate C, the quarters a a, pro

vided, respectively, with the slotted plate 66 and slotted and; perforated strap a, substalb tially as described. r r r 5. The fastener EB, having the catch 1) and hinge'e'strucknp fromthe body of the plate andhaving the headed pin 11" andplate 0, subs V 

